Samantha Morton says playing Circe in 'The Odyssey' felt like 'movie magic'

Morton's performance is being highlighted by the critics for the emotional complexity she brings to Cersei

Samantha Morton has reflected on her remarkable journey from working as a teenage magician's assistant in England to portraying the legendary enchantress Circe in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster The Odyssey, calling the experience "movie magic."

Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the Oscar-nominated actress revealed that her unusual childhood job unexpectedly prepared her for one of the film's most memorable sequences.

Before becoming an actor, Morton worked as an assistant to Nottingham illusionists The Pendragons, where she used her background in gymnastics and dance to help perform elaborate stage tricks. Those early experiences with illusion later proved surprisingly relevant when stepping into the role of the mythical sorceress.

Morton admitted she had never read Homer's The Odyssey while growing up, but Christopher Nolan's screenplay immediately changed her perception of Circe.

"I didn't perceive her as a villain," she explained, saying the character struck her instead as a woman shaped by violence and trauma rather than simple malice.

In Nolan's adaptation, Circe first appears vulnerable before revealing her immense supernatural power, transforming Odysseus' men into swine in one of the film's most visually striking and unsettling scenes. Morton's performance has already emerged as one of the epic's most widely praised elements, with critics highlighting the emotional complexity she brings to the legendary sorceress.

Filming Circe's scenes in Scotland carried particular significance for the actress, who said she felt a personal connection to the landscape because of her ancestral roots. That emotional bond, combined with Nolan's practical filmmaking approach, made the experience especially meaningful.

"It felt like real movie magic," Morton said, describing the combination of spectacular locations, practical effects and the collaborative atmosphere on set.

Morton's portrayal has drawn widespread acclaim since The Odyssey opened in cinemas, with Christopher Nolan and producer Emma Thomas previously revealing that her work earned a standing ovation from the crew, something they said reminded them of the reaction to Heath Ledger's performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight. Morton recently described the comparison as "an honour" and an emotional tribute to the late actor, whom she greatly admired.

Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus alongside Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron, The Odyssey has become one of the biggest films of the year. Amid its star-studded ensemble, Morton's haunting interpretation of Circe has been singled out as one of the adaptation's standout performances, bringing fresh depth to one of Greek mythology's most fascinating figures.